Andy Serkis doesn't "see any difference" between acting in video games or in films and television

May 16, 2026 - 11:23

Andy Serkis, the actor famous for playing Gollum in The Lord of the Rings and Caesar in the Planet of the Apes films, has made it clear that he does not see a distinction between performing in video games and acting in movies or television. In a recent interview, Serkis stated that for him, "it's exactly the same" kind of work.

The actor, who also lends his voice and performance to the upcoming game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, explained that the core of the job remains unchanged regardless of the medium. "I don't see any difference," he said. Serkis emphasized that whether he is on a film set wearing a motion-capture suit or in a recording booth for a game, the goal is always to find the truth of the character. He argued that the technology used in modern video games, especially for performance capture, allows actors to deliver the same level of emotional depth and nuance as they would in a live-action film.

Serkis has long been a pioneer in bridging the gap between cinema and interactive entertainment. His work on games like the Middle-earth series has shown that a strong performance can elevate a digital character just as much as it can a physical one. He believes that the industry has finally caught up to his way of thinking, with game developers now treating voice and motion capture as a serious acting craft rather than just a technical process. For Serkis, a good performance is a good performance, no matter where the audience sees it.